Automatic laying and retrieving ground cover apparatus



Oct. 21, 1969 5. BROWN 3,473,755

AUTOMATIC LAYING AND RETRIEVING GROUND COVER APPARATUS Filed July 15, 1968 2 Sheets-She'et l INVENTOR m SAMUEL BROWN BY E ATTORNEY Oct. 21, 1969 --s. BROWN 3,

AUTOMATIC LAYING AND RETRIEVING GROUND COVER APPARATUS Filed July 15, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Z SAMUEL BROWN BY W 3.

ATTORNEY nited States Patent 3,473,755 AUTOMATIC LAYING AND RETRIEVING GROUND COVER APPARATUS Samuel Brown, Mobile, Ala., assignor to Brown & Brown, Inc, Mobile, Ala., a corporation of Alabama Filed July 15, 1968, Ser. No. 744,988 Int. Cl. B6511 17/46, 17/02, 17/12 U.S. Cl. 24286.52 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention is directed generally to the problem of laying and retrieving relatively large ground covers in the form of tarpaulins and the like, and more particularly presents a solution to the difiiculty of reeling or unwinding lengths of fabric at the precise speed of the laying and retrieving apparatus, regardless of the diameter of the core of fabric being laid or retrieved.

The prior art includes U.S. Patent No. 726,580, to Peter Shannon, which disclosing a hose reel truck including ground power take off wheels to positively drive the core upon which the hose is wound. However, no provision is made for the varying diameter of the wound hose on its core as it is reeled and unreeled. Therefore, given a constant speed of the truck, the amount of hose wound and unwound at any given point will vary greatly depending upon the amount of hose on the core.

U.S. Patent No. 2,417,553, issued to Nels Jenson shows a linoleum truck including free roller supports for a length of linoleum wound on a core, but there is no positive means for reeling or unwinding the linoleum. Finally, U.S. Patent No. 2,536,571 to Wayne C. Sanguin et a1. indicates the expense involved in prior art equipment for laying a ground cover. The invention disclosed in this patent comprises a large truck with an engine power take off for positively driving a core of wound fabric.

On the other hand, the instant invention provides a ground cover laying and retrieving apparatus including ground power take-off means, but with frictional engagement between the take-off means and a portion of the outer surface of fabric wound on a core so that, given constant speed, fabric will be unwound or retrieved at a steady rate regardless of the diameter of fabric on its core at any given moment.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention is a ground cover laying and retrieving apparatus comprising a wheeled dolly, a ground power take-off wheel assembly, a pair of unidirectionally positively driven rollers, upon which a core of wound fabric material rests to be wound or unreeled onto the ground, transmission means between the ground wheel and the driven rollers, including a clutch, for selective drive of the rollers, and blocking plates on each side of the driven rollers for preventing lateral slippage of the c r of fabric from the apparatus.

3,473,755 Patented Oct. 21, 1969 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Details of construction and operation of the invention as well as further objects and advantages thereof will become readily apparent by reference to the following specification and accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a view in perspective of the operation of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a top, partial plan view of the invention, with parts broken away to show interior details;

FIGURE 3 is a view in perspective of the invention with the lift thereof employed to raise a core of wound fabric onto the apparatus; and

FIGURE 4 is a sectional side view of the invention taken along lines 4-4 of FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings wherein parts are identified by reference character the invention 10 is shown in FIGURE 1 in the process of laying longitudinal tarpaulin strips on a football field. Covering the field in strips is advantageous for two reasons. First, wind problems encountered in laying a covering of broad dimensions are eliminated. Secondly, the operation can be accomplished by a single operator drawing invention 10 behind a tractor 12. Individual strips 14 which make up the whole cover are laid in shingle fashion, from the outside edges of the footballl field 16 inward, with the center strip laid last, so that rainwater will drain from the central crown of field 16, outwardly toward the edges. To speak in terms of precise dimensions, a standard footbal field yards long may be covered as indicated in FIG. 1 by eleven strips 14, each 16 feet wide, from goal line to goal line, as indicated, or goal post (not shown) to goal post if desired.

The invention itself is best indicated in FIGURES 2 and 3. Basically, a wheeled dolly 18 is provided, wheels 20, 20 thereof being mounted on conventional stub axles 22, 22. A yoke 24 is attached to the forward end of dolly 18 so that the invention may be pulled or pushed by a conventional small tractor or other suitable means.

A lift 26 is mounted centrally of the dolly 18 and includes a post or stanchion 28 and a lift arm 30, which is pivotally mounted at the upper end of post 28 to swing through a vertical arc. Along the lower edge of arm 30 is a rail 32 on which a sliding lift block 34 is secured. Arm 30 is raised and lowered by means of an hydraulic cylinder 36 and piston 38, the free end of which is attached to the lower, inner end of rail 32. Lift 26 is employed to raise a full core 40 of fabric 42 onto dolly 18, and to remove core 40 when exhausted, in the laying process. Of course, the obverse is the case when the invention is employed to reel fabric, in that full cores are replaced with empty ones. The end of a length of fabric 42 may include a weight 44 to secure the end thereof on the ground when the laying process is initiated.

Drive means for reeling or winding core 40 is provided by means of a central ground take-01f wheel 46, or wheels (not shown). More than one wheel may be used to assure firm ground contact. Additionally, wheel 46 may be spring mounted (not shown) in conventional fashion to further assure firm, ground contact.

A primary drive shaft 48 is secured in dolly 18 through wheel 46 by conventional bearing blocks 50, 50 on each lateral side of dolly 18. A universal joint 52 allows for some movement of wheel 46. A secondary drive shaft 54, mounted in bearing blocks 56, 56, is driven from primary shaft 48 by a chain and sprocket assembly 58. A tertiary drive shaft 60 is mounted in bearing blocks 62, 62, and driven from secondary shaft 54 through clutch 64, comprising driven spur gear 66 and driving spur gear 68. Gear 68 is splined to shaft 54, and is slidable into and out-of engagement-with gear 66 by lever 70,

pivotally---mounted on" dolly 18,- and" having a 'yoke' 72 a andinexpensiye one. A variable speed gear box could be" employed if desired, or any other suitable means could be employed that would give a steady drive to rollers 74.

The operation'of the invention is relatively simple.

First, a core 40 of wound fabric 42 is lifted onto rollers 74 by means of lift 26. As the dolly 18 moves forwardly, fabric is unwound and laid down across apron 78 onto the ground, the ground wheel 46 operating through the transmission discussed above to rotate rollers 74.11: is apparent that, given constant speed of dolly 18, fabric will be unwound at a steady, even rate, regardless of the diameter of fabric 42 on core 40. As a core is exhausted, it may be replaced by a fresh one. It is obvious that in a short period of time, a single operator can cover an area as large as a football field, as shown in FIG. 1. Sideways movement of core 40 on rollers 74 is limited by a pair of blocking plates 80, 80, mounted one on each lateral end of dolly 18.

The obverse procedure may be employed to wind up or retrieve the ground cover. That is, an empty core 49 is first placed on rollers 74, 74. The end of a length of fabric 42 is then secured to the core in any conventional manner. Then dolly 18 is pushed in the direction of the laid fabric. Rollers 74, 74 are driven as described above and will retrieve the fabric onto core 40, over apron 78. When a core 40 is filled, it is replaced by an empty one, and the process is continued until the operation is completed.

Thus, it is readily apparent from the foregoing that I have invented a new and highly useful device in the art of automatic ground cover laying and retrieving appara tuses, and therefore, I am not to be limited to the exact construction as hereinbefore provided, except as may be deemed to be within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A ground cover laying and retrieving apparatus for reeling and unwinding a length of fabric wound upon a core, comprising:

(a) a wheeled dolly, adapted to be transported over the ground;

(b) ground power take 01f means, mounted beneath the dolly;

(c) a pair of unidirectionally, positively driven rollers,

*mountedorrtopofthedolly; and

(d) transmission means from the ground power take off means to the rollers, whereby said rollers are arranged to receive a length or fabric wound upon a core and friction-ally engage a portion of the outer surfaceof the fabric to reel or unwind the fabricfromthe core.

2. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said wheeled dolly includes apron means behind said positively driven rollers to guide the fabric to and from its core.

3.,.The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said wheeled dolly further includes lift means, for lifting a core of fabric onto and off of the positively driven rollers.

4. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said wheeled dolly further includes lift means,'for lifting .1 core of fabric onto and off of the positively driven rollers. comprisingz,

. (a) avertical post; 1

(b) a lift arm, pivotally-mounted at the top of the I post, arranged to move in an arc;

(c) a rail, mounted along the lower edge of the lift arm;

(d) a lift block, slidably received on the rail; and

(e) hydraulic lift means including a cylinder, pivotally mounted on the dolly adjacent the post, and a piston. the free end thereof secured to the rail.

5. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said ground power take off means comprises at least a single wheel mounted centrally beneath the wheeled dolly.

6. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said transmission means comprises:

(a) a drive shaft, extending laterally from the ground power take off means;

(b)ha secondary drive shaft, driven from the first drive s aft;

(c)- a tertiary drive shaft, positively connected to the driven rollers; and

(d) clutch means between said second and tertiary drive shafts for selective drive of said tertiary shaft.

7. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein blocking means are provided on said wheeled dolly, outside or said driven rollers, to retain a core of fabric material on said rollers.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 726,580 4/1903 Shannon 242-863 X 1,311,956 8/1919 Elsinger 242-86.6 2,536,571 1/1951 Sanguin et al. 24286.52 3,108,804 10/1963 Wagner 24286.52 X 3,403,870 10/ 1968 Garaboux 242-8652 NATHAN L. MINTZ, Primary Examiner 

